Plug connector construction



A. s. KNAPP 2,214,024

PLUG CONNECTOR CONSTRUCTION Ongmal Flled March 7 1935 jrzvenfbr flffarn y Sept. 10, 1940.

Patented Sept. 10, 1940 UNITED STATES 2,214,024 PLUG CONNECTOR CONSTRUCTION Andrew S Knapp, Belleville, Ill., assignor, by mesne assignments, to Electrix Corporation, Pawtucket, R. I., a corporation of Rhode Island Application March 7, 1935, Serial No. 9,801 Renewed September 2, 1938 2 Claims.

My present invention relates to electric connections, and has particular reference to connector plug constructions.

It is the principal object of my invention to 6 provide a soft rubber plug construction which is adapted for connection to the ends of insulated conductor cords, and which forms a substantially unitary one-piece construction when assembled.

It is a further object of my invention to pro- 10 videa .self locking construction whereby the assembly of the parts locks the parts together.

An additional object of my invention is to provide a simple arrangement for electrically connecting the conductor wires to the plug con- 15 tact prongs.

With the above and other objects and advantageous features in view, my invention consists of a novel arrangement of parts more fully disclosed in the detailed description following, in

20 conjunction with the accompanying drawing,

.and more specifically defined in the claims ap' pended thereto.

In the drawing, Fig. 1 is a perspective view of the assembled 25 connector plug;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the plug body, on the line 2-2 of Fig. 3;

Fig. 3 is a central vertical section on the line 3-3 of Fig. 2;

30 Fig. 4 is a bottom plan view;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of the novel contact prong;

Fig. 5a is a perspective view of a modified contact prong construction;

5 Fig. 6 is a perspective view of the closure disk;

Fig. 7 is an enlarged sectional detail showing the assembly arrangement; and Fig. 8 is a perspective section, on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

40 Referring to the drawing, my improved connector plug comprises a body l, of resilient material such as rubber, which is provided with an axial passage ll extending therethrough. The body 10 is preferably of circular cross-section,

and is shaped as indicated in Fig. 1, with a base end portions of two contact prongs 2|, 22, the recesses being generally rectangular but terminating with lateral extensions 23, 24. The outer ends of the recesses communicate with the passage ll through two shallow cuts or openings 25, 26. The contact prongs, see Fig. 5, comprise relatively stiff metal members having their inner ends ZI formed with laterally extending feet 28,

29 and a central generally triangular cut 30; a lock "lug 3| is provided at the center, .preferably formed by punching or striking from the prong body, and the outer ends 32 are bevelled to facilitate entry into the socket recesses. If desired, two lugs 3la, 3Ib may be struck up, as shown in Fig. 5a,.to imbed in' the body material when 16 the contact prongs are inserted.

The contact prongs 2|, 22 are maintained in spaced relation by means of a disk 33, of insulating material, having apertures 34, 35 for receiving the contact prongs. The base I2 is recessed, as indicated at 36 to receive the disk, the

edges 31 of the recess extending beyond the disk to provide an upstanding resilient bead adapted to yieldingly engage the face portion of the socket which receives the connector plug.

Referring now to Figs. 7 and 8, the assembly may now be explained; The prongs are inserted.

through the closure disk, and are then forced down the plug recesses, the cable I5 having previously been passed into the passage H and the wires I6, ll having been positioned to overlie the outer ends of the recesses. As the prongs are forced down, the cuts 30 engage the wires l5, l1 and pull the wires down as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, the feet 28, 29 of the prongs entering into the extensions 23, 24, and the insulating sleeves l8 entering the cuts 25, 26. The disk 32 is pressed tightly into the base recess 35 by the lugs 3| to complete the assembly. Since the body I0 is made of resilient rubber, the prongs are readily 40 forced down, but are difficult to remove.

It is thus evident that the prongs hold the disk in the base recess, and hold the wires firmly, against removal; the recess extensions hold the prong feet to complete the locked relation of the 4 parts. The improved connector plug is therefore formed of a small number of readily manufactured parts, which are quickly assembled, and interlock without distortion to provide a substantially unitary construction.

While I have described a specific constructional embodiment of my invention, it is obvious that desired changes in the material used for the parts, and in their relative size, arrangement, and function. may be made to suit the requirements for different electrical connector uses, without departing from the spirit and the scope of the invention ,as defined in the appended claims.

I claim: a

1. In a connector plug, a body of resilient material having a central axial passage adapted to receive a cable and having slotrecesses on epposite sides thereof, contact prongs in said slot recesses, said cable having wires passing into said slot recesses, said prongs having longitudinal slots at their inner ends for receiving the wire ends and laterally projecting members extending from the side edges thereof, said slot 'recesses having lateral extensions to receive said members, whereby said prongs are locked in said slot recesses, and a closure disk for said body, said prongs each having parts extending from the sides thereof and engaging said disk to lock said disk'to said body.

2. In a'connector plug, a body of resilient material having a central a-xial passage adapted to receive a cable and having slot recesses on opposite sides thereof, contact prongs in said slot recesses, said cable having wires passing into said slot recesses, said prongs having longitudinal slots at their inner ends for receiving the wire ends and laterally projecting members extending from the sideedges thereof, said slot recesses having lateral extensions to receive said members, whereby said prongs are locked in said slot recesses, and a closure disk for said body, said prongs each having lugs struck outwardly and engaging said disk to lock said disk to said body.

ANDREW S. mi'APP. 

